Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 7.djvu/286

422 WATT,, one of the most illustrious men of bis time as a natural philosopher, chemist, and civil engineer, was born at Greenock, on the 19th of January, 1736. His father, James Watt, was a block-maker and ship chandler, and for some time one of the magistrates of Greenock; and his mother, Agnes Muirhead, was descended from a respectable family. During boyhood his health was very delicate, so that his attendance at school was by no means regular; nevertheless, by assiduous application at home, he soon attained great proficiency in reading, writing, and arithmetic; and, by the perusal of books that came within his command, be extended his knowledge beyond the circle of elementary instruction of the public schools, and cherished that thirst for information which is the characteristic of all men of genius, and for which be was throughout life remarkable. An anecdote of his boyhood has been preserved, showing the early bent of his mind. His aunt, Mrs. Muirhead, sitting with him cue evening at the tea-table, said, "James, I never saw such an idle boy! Take a book, or employ yourself usefully; for the last half hour you have not spoken a word, but taken off the lid of that kettle, and put it on again." With the aid alternately of a cup and a silver spoon, he was observing how the steam rose from the spout and became condensed, and was counting the drops of water. But there is little incident in his life until he reached his eighteenth year, excepting that be manifested a strong predilection for mechanical and mathematical pursuits. In accordance with this natural bent, he departed for London, in 1754, in order to learn the profession of a mathematical instrument-maker. When he arrived in London, he placed himself under the direction of a mathematical instrument-maker, and applied himself with great assiduity, and with such success, that, although he was obliged, from want of health, to return to his father's roof in little more than a year, yet he persevered, and soon attained proficiency in his business. He made occasional visits to his mother's relations in Glasgow, a city at that time considerably advanced in that career of manufacturing industry and opulence, for which it has in more recent times been so eminently distinguished. In that city, it was his intention to settle as a mathematical instrument-maker; but he was violently opposed by some corporations of the trades, who viewed him as an intruder upon their privileges, although the business which he intended to follow, was at that time little practised in Scotland. By this occurrence, the hopes of Watt had been well nigh frustrated, and the energies of his inventive mind had probably been turned in a different channel from that which distinguished his future years, had it not been for the kind and well directed patronage of the professors of the university. In the year 1757, this learned body, who had at that time to reckon among their number some of the greatest men then living Smith, the political economist, Black, the chemist, and Simson, the geometer conferred upon Watt the title of mathematical instrument-maker to the university, with all the privileges of that office, and chambers within the walls of their venerable seminary, adjoining the apartments occupied by the celebrated printers, the Messrs Koulis. He continued to prosecute his avocation in this place for about six years, during which time, so far as health and necessary employment would permit, he applied himself to the acquisition of scientific knowledge. It was during this period, also, that he contracted a lasting friendship with Dr Black, whose name will ever be conspicuous in the history of philosophy, for his valuable additions to our knowledge of the doctrine of heat ; and also with Robison, then a student in Glasgow college, and who afterwards filled the natural philosophy chair in the university of Edinburgh.

This period of Watt's life was marked by an incident, which in itself might